


Zwei Möwen Im Wind // Two Seagulls In The Wind

by dreams_of_manderley



Category: Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca - Levay/Kunze
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Bisexual!Ich, De-Aged Maxim de Winter, F/M, Feminist Themes, I totally abandoned this because senior year is a bitch, Ich is bean, Ich needs a hug, Ich owns Manderley, Ich sees Mrs. Danvers as a motherly figure, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Lesbian!Mrs. Danvers, Mrs. Danvers isn't a total bitch, Mrs. van Hopper is the worst yet best matchmaker ever, Other, and a certain person ruined Jenseits der Nacht for me, but I’m back :), but she's still super jealous of Maxim, recovering, so I was lowkey trigger by the title of this, so she's slightly more confident at the start
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:07:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26206144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreams_of_manderley/pseuds/dreams_of_manderley
Summary: Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. It seemed my home had changed drastically from the time I saw it last. I should be used to that by now. Once it was my place of birth, then it became my own personal hell, and lastly it was paradise. One may wonder why a young woman such as myself is making these claims, but looks can be deceiving. I may be young, but the life of an heiress is never dull, especially when you have little idea of who you are. My story is quite long, however one thing is certain; My life took a turn when I went from once again being Miss Evans to becoming Mrs. de Winter.---------------Hi, I'm back to writing Rebecca fanfiction. I've had the idea of an Ich/Maxim role reversal AU in my head for months but never actually wrote it down because I was insecure about being the only one not writing Danvich smut and also because I am lazy. Now that I've finally worked up the courage to write it, I hope you'll enjoy it.
Relationships: Maxim de Winter/Narrator (Rebecca), Mrs. Danvers/Ich (one sided)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Ich Hab Geträumt

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. It seemed my home had changed drastically from the time I saw it last. I should be used to that by now, for the estate had changed many times even while it still stood. Once it was my place of birth, my childhood home. Then it became my own personal hell. And lastly, strangely enough, it was paradise if I may deign to call it such. One may wonder why a young woman such as myself is making these claims, but looks can be deceiving. I may be young, but the life of an heiress is never dull, especially when you had little idea of who you are at the time. My story is quite long, however one thing is certain; My life took a turn when I went from once again being Miss Evans to becoming Mrs. de Winter.

It all started in Monte Carlo at L’Hotel Côte d’Azur. My mind was frantically wandering as I entered with my suitcase in hand and sketchbook tucked under my arm, wearing a simple cream colored dress, a small purse hanging off my shoulder. I never really needed much when it came to material possessions, despite my status in the social hierarchy. I supposed people must’ve thought me strange. “Why would the mistress of Manderley travel alone and wear such modest clothing?” I imagined them saying. I laughed at the thought. It’s not like I was doing anything scandalous, so where was the harm in the way I chose to live? People were starting to take notice of my arrival and started whispering among themselves. They could talk all they wanted, but I say let them. Besides, I was here to get away from all the gossip back home. I was here to put the past behind me. It had been a year since my husband Richard’s death and I was ready to forget all about it. To replace the memories I had with him with ones that were fresh and new. I was ready to move on with my life and forget him, no matter how broken I was.

Before I knew it, I was checked in and ready to go. I started for the elevator, still lost in thought, and passed a young man sitting on one of the settees. He looked as if he was waiting for someone. I didn’t think much of him or where I was going for that matter. I just wanted to get to my suite and have a moment to breathe without other people around. However fate had other plans, for the young man made a move to stand up and I tripped right over him. I knew I shouldn’t have worn those damned heels, I always was clumsy but especially when walking in them. My suitcase fell out of my hand and slid across the floor, and I barely managed to hold onto my sketchbook. What a way to make a first impression. 

“Oh god, I’m terribly sorry sir” I quickly snapped out of my reverie as I muttered an apology. 

“It’s quite alright. Here, let me help you” the man said to me before helping me back to my feet. After thanking the young man I walked over to where my suitcase was and grabbed it from off the floor. Hopefully I would be able to go the rest of the day without completely embarrassing myself. “I-I should get going” I stammered before heading towards the elevator once more. I could not seem to catch a break, because I could hear a woman calling for me. 

“Miss Evans, hello!” It was unmistakable who the voice belonged to. I would recognize Edith van Hopper from a mile away. I had only met her twice before when I was traveling to New York City, once when I first legally inherited Manderley, and once with Richard, and I was by no means fond of her. She had a tendency to claim she was closer to a person of importance than she really was. Despite what people may say, I never thought of myself as anyone special. However that didn’t stop the impertinent American from acting like we were dear old friends upon seeing me. “Don’t you remember me? Edith van Hopper, from New York?” The older woman asked me.

“Oh yes, I didn’t recognize you at first” I said bluntly, not in the mood for another awkward encounter. Before I was able to make an excuse to leave, Mrs. van Hopper spoke once more. 

“It’s such a shame what happened to your husband, I believe it was almost exactly a year ago” I wanted to run out of this lobby as fast as I could when Mrs. van Hopper brought up Richard. I never liked to talk about him, it only brought back terrible memories. I hated when people I barely knew brought up him or his drowning accident even more. I’ve already had to deal with that enough at Manderley and I certainly didn’t want to do so now. If I looked uncomfortable, the American did not notice, for the next thing I knew she was hollering at her companion to come over to us. I could not believe my eyes when the man I had tripped over earlier approached us. It seemed he realized this as well, I could tell by the way his green eyes looked straight into my own with an expression of disbelief. 

“It seems we meet again...what was your name again?” I asked him as I didn’t catch what it was when Mrs. van Hopper called him over. 

“Maxim. Maxim de Winter” He answered, offering his hand for me to shake. Once pleasantries were exchanged, Mrs. van Hopper asked what I meant by her companion and I ‘meeting again’. “I hope he was polite to you, Miss Evans. He’d make a fine husband. Now that I think of it he’s rather fond of English girls such as yourself” She said nonchalantly. I was very taken aback by that comment. Was this woman trying to set me up with a man I had tripped over mere moments ago? It certainly sounded like it from the way she so casually suggested that Maxim was fond of English girls. “Come again?” I asked for clarification of the American’s intentions. However I was answered with only a cough followed by another. 

“I’m not feeling well at the moment, Maxim you stay here and keep the lovely young lady company” Mrs. van Hopper finally replied, and with that, left for her room. I was then left alone with this Maxim de Winter. I never was good at starting conversations, however I did feel sorry for the poor man for having to put up with Mrs. van Hopper and her eccentric nature. Even more so for the fact that she was apparently trying to set him up with me. I was by no means ready to jump into another relationship, especially after my last one with Richard. Before I married my late husband the only relationships I had been in were very short and very discreet teenage flirtations with a few girls when I was still in boarding school. However those still remained a secret. Only one person knew of my attraction to both women and men, and I was determined to keep it that way. Even with men I knew I was wary and guarded. Why would I be willing to throw myself into the arms of one so quickly? After a few moments I realized I was lost in thought once again. There was no point in the two of us just standing there staring at each other. If Maxim and I were to be forced into a conversation, I might as well say something.

“Does she normally do this? Try to set you up with any woman you meet, I mean.” I asked him hoping and praying that this was just something Mrs. van Hopper normally did. Hoping that this would be over and done with sooner rather than later. But it was just my luck that Maxim shook his head no. 

“No, she’s never done this before. I must say it’s odd even for her” he replied with a chuckle. He seemed a lot more at ease than I, and I didn’t quite understand why. Maybe he was used to being thrown into awkward situations by his employer. I knew I should be as well, for I had been in such situations before, but confidence wasn’t something I had quite mastered no matter how well I was able to fake it from time to time. I thought when I officially took up the role of lady of Manderley at the age of 18 that I’d be able to find that confidence for myself, but instead I had found Richard, who had not been a good substitute.

“Well, tell her...tell her that I appreciate her concern...but I’m not looking for a new husband” I managed to say to Maxim. It came out much more like a question than a statement. I internally cursed my own shyness. 

However he didn’t seem to mind or notice it. “I’ll pass on the message, besides I’m not looking for anyone either.” He said, an awkward grin forming on his face. 

I gave him a nod, relieved that he seemed just as confused by this whole thing as I was. “Alright, well I should head to my room. It was nice meeting you” I said with a polite smile learned from years of practice before hurrying to the open elevator. Once the doors closed I let out a sigh of relief that I had escaped the awkward encounter. However I couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t the last time Maxim and I would cross paths.


	2. Am Abgrund

The rest of the day passed without incident and as I sat down to breakfast in the lobby the next morning I was relieved to find that it would be similar today. There was not a single American woman in sight which meant I would hopefully be able to get through my meal without another encounter with Mrs. van Hopper. The last thing I wanted was for her to try to push me towards a flirtation with her companion. I planned to drive up to the mountains after breakfast, maybe I would draw something while I was there. I had been there once before, on my honeymoon with Richard, but today I would take the first step in creating new memories in place of the old. 

I noticed Maxim walk into the dining room and sit down at the table next to my own. However, to my surprise, he came alone. As I ate my meal, I heard him mention to a waiter that Mrs. Van Hopper was ill in bed with the flu. I felt bad for her but at least that meant I would have a much easier time avoiding her. Hopefully that also meant that she wouldn’t continue to try and meddle in my love life, or lack thereof. Once I finished my breakfast I grabbed my sketchbook and purse to head out to the mountains as planned. However, I was stopped by none other than Maxim. “Good morning, Miss Evans” He said to me with that same collected air he had yesterday. As I predicted, yesterday would not be the last time we crossed paths. 

“Good morning” I replied, giving a polite smile. “I see that you’re alone” I added in an attempt to converse with him. Although I was unsure why I was even doing so. It’s not like his employer was pushing us to speak to one another at the moment. It’s not like I didn’t want to speak to him, but yesterday had been rather awkward and I didn’t want to make a fool of myself yet agin.

“Yes, Mrs. van Hopper is ill so I’ve been given the day off until she decides she’s feeling better” Maxim replied with relief in his tone.  
“And what do you plan to do on your day off?” I asked him as it seemed an innocent enough question. However it earned a chuckle in response. He looked at me with an expression I couldn’t quite place before telling me that he had plans to go up to the mountains. 

“Would you like to come with me?” He asked me. I didn’t know what to say. On the one hand I was headed there anyway so I felt somewhat obligated to say yes, we probably would have run into each other there anyway. However I was uncomfortable at the thought of going anywhere alone with a man I hardly knew. Did he have some sort of ulterior motive? Did he want to get me alone? Did Mrs. Van Hopper put him up to this? Maxim must’ve sensed my discomfort, for softened his tone a little. “I apologize if I was too forward. The truth is Mrs. Van Hopper apparently believes you need a man to...well, I asked you to come with me to shut her up, shall we say. You don’t have to say yes, but if you do it will be nothing more than two friends spending time together” He explained. 

I chose to believe this story since after yesterday’s encounter I would not put it past the American to ask that of Maxim. “Well, if it will keep her quiet I guess I’ll come with you” I finally answered. However I was not going to risk anything happening so I told him that I would be the one to drive us there. Not many women drove their own vehicles but since I often had to make trips from Cornwall to London and back again, especially in the past year, driving became a necessity for me. 

We started the trip to the mountains, mostly making small talk here and there. I told Maxim a little about Manderley. How I often spent my childhood playing on the beach or running about in the garden, sometimes picking flowers which earned a scolding from my mother who never liked having them picked for the house. Over the years I began to share that sentiment, roses and azaleas being the exception of course. He seemed interested in what I was saying and I grew increasingly more at ease the more I spoke. If there was one thing I was certain of, it was my fond memories of Manderley. They may have been tainted by the demons of my past, but they could not be taken from me. In turn he told me about his life in a lower middle class family and how, in a desperate attempt to find a decent job after being orphaned, he began working for Mrs. van Hopper. I supposed we had that in common, the fact that we were both virtually on our own. I did have some distant relatives still alive, but I rarely associated with them on account of how controlling they tried to be when I first inherited Manderley. 

When we arrived at our destination I immediately stepped out of the car, grabbed my sketchbook, and found a comfortable enough place to sit down and draw. Today’s sketch happened to be of a nobleman staring out of a window. I had been working on it for months but had never managed to finish it. I had always felt like something was missing from it but could never figure out what it was. Maxim sat beside me, watching me intently. I glanced at him for a moment before going back to my drawing. No words were spoken between us, and I preferred it so since the peace and quiet helped my concentration. The silence was eventually broken however. “I must say, you are quite the artist. Where did you learn to draw like that?” Maxim asked, causing me to look up at him once more, blushing as I usually do when paid a compliment.  
“Thank you, it’s something I’ve done for years. My father often drew in his spare time when he was still alive and I wanted to try it for myself when I was a child. I grew to love it and ended up practicing it more and more over time,” I said, allowing myself to smile as I remembered my late father.

“You must miss him a great deal” Maxim replied with sympathy in his voice. 

I nodded in response. “Yes, he was a wonderful person,” I mused, continuing to draw as we spoke. The man I was drawing had begun to resemble Maxim the more I worked at it. I had not intended this in the slightest, but nonetheless I finally finished the drawing, feeling satisfied with my work at last.

“I’m sure he’d be proud of how far you’ve come,” Maxim said as I let out a sigh of relief from having finished the drawing. His words meant a great deal to me. All my life I had wanted nothing more than to make my family proud. I smiled once more and could feel myself letting my guard down just a little. “I’m surprised you haven’t made a career out of your art. If this is anything to go by I’m sure your other drawings are incredible,” He added. He seemed like he meant well, but his comment brought out a feeling of regret that I had carried with me since the death of my parents. 

“Believe you me, I wish I had the courage to do so,” I said, the regret I felt apparent in my tone of voice.

“What do you mean by that?” Maxim asked me, to which I responded with a sigh. I wasn’t comfortable with sharing my entire reasoning behind this, but I was able to let my walls come down enough to tell him the shortened version.

“When I inherited Manderley, I had to prioritize that.” I said as I stood up, walking towards the edge of the cliff we were standing on. I had intended to make a career out of it once upon a time, however as I got older those aspirations became more and more distant. My parents had planned to have more children, hopeful that they would have a son after me. That I would gain a younger brother who would eventually inherit Manderley when the time came. However each attempt unfortunately ended with either a miscarriage or, in one case, a stillbirth. My mother had died giving birth to the stillborn child and my father, consumed with grief, never remarried. The lack of a male heir meant I would be the one to inheirit my family’s beloved estate. Many of my more traditional relatives, acquaintances, and gossips frowned upon this, but nonetheless were forced to accept this fact. However, launching a career in art would have scandalized my family’s name and I had started off on thin ice as is. 

I had only told Richard the full story, in fact I had told him on these very cliffs. I did not want to share this with anyone else, this was something I had to keep to myself. Then again there were a number of things I felt I needed to keep to myself. I looked at the raging sea below me, but I immediately wished I hadn’t. It had caused me to think of that stormy night Richard had died. It caused me to think of everything I had done, had failed to do. Again I was lost in the abyss which contained my worst memories. The moments that passed felt like hours. I started to feel myself shaking. I was only called back to reality when Maxim touched my shoulder. “Miss Evans, is something the matter?” He asked with concern. 

I took a deep breath and turned to face him. “Forgive me...I-I thought of...a dark memory” I answered, my voice unsteady, moreso than it had been when we first met. He did not say anything for a moment, merely nodding in understanding. I was relieved he had not asked what the memory had entailed. If there was one thing I could not share with anyone, it was that very memory. Not even Mrs. Danvers, my housekeeper and confidante, knew of it. 

“You seem unsettled, Miss Evans. Are you sure you’re alright?” Maxim asked once again. I could detect no pushiness in his voice as he waited patiently for my reply. I was starting to realize that maybe he wasn’t looking to take advantage of me. I asked him not to refer to me as Miss Evans anymore, but instead use my first name. “You have a lovely and unusual name,” He said. I couldn’t help but blush and yet another complement he had given me. 

The tension that was between us that we had back at the hotel had subsided enough for me to entertain the idea of spending time with him again. I would have to keep him at arm's length, but even still I could sense that a friendship was blooming between us as we got back into the car and drove back to the hotel.


	3. Zauberhaft Natürlich

The next two weeks passed by in a blur, and I found myself in a welcome state of contentment. I grew closer and closer to Maxim with each passing day, slowly but surely beginning to trust him. He became a dear friend of mine and against my better judgement I began to attach myself to him romantically as well. I treasured those stolen moments when we were alone together, for they gave me a sense of peace that I had forgotten in years past. The way he spoke with that calm, easy air sent my heart a flutter. He truly had the presence and confidence of a nobleman despite not being born one and that fascinated me. I often caught myself staring at him, yearning to press my lips against his, and I did not know how to feel about it. The rational part of my mind told me to deny these ever growing feelings, to not allow myself to get caught up in them for fear I may end up hurting myself in the process. However my heart kept telling me to just confess and allow myself to love again, to live again. 

I stepped out of bed and got dressed, forcing myself to stop thinking of Maxim. Willing myself not to think of how much I loved him. I was only being foolish by dwelling on those thoughts. We had only known each other for a short time and I still had much to work through. Even so the idea of losing him was not one I wanted to become a reality. A knock at my door provided a welcome distraction from my conflicting thoughts. I let out a sigh, opening the door. I didn’t know who I expected to see, nonetheless I was surprised when I saw Maxim on the other side. “Oh, I didn’t expect you to come here. Is everything alright?” I ask him. Normally I would be the one to come to him, apart from that first day we spent together. This was odd indeed.

“Yes, everything is fine. However, Mrs. Van Hopper has informed me that we are to leave tomorrow. She wishes to return to New York as soon as possible. I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye” He explained, his tone betraying disappointment. I was slightly taken about by this news, but I supposed it was inevitable. We all would have to go back to our ordinary lives at some point or another. Then the thought of losing Maxim occurred to me once more. It was now or never. Something inside me told me that I needed to take this opportunity and confess my love for him. I did not resist the urge this time. I knew it was rash, I knew it was stupid, but I couldn’t let Maxim slip away.

“Come to Manderley with me” I blurted out. I must have sounded so unsure, so desperate to him, but it was too late to take back what had been said. I was met with a laugh in response. “My my, we are forward this morning, aren’t we?” Maxim teased. He must have guessed what I was suggesting. The knowing smirk that was forming upon his face said it all. I struggled to form words. This really was easier said than done. “Well...what I meant to say was…” I trailed off, glancing in another direction. Why couldn’t I just say it? I could feel Maxim staring at me, waiting for me to continue. I let out a deep sigh. “I...I’m asking you to marry me” 

I expected him to laugh, tell me I was crazy, or at the very least say no. I was anticipating some form of rejection. However Maxim would keep surprising me. He looked at me with a puzzled expression as if he realized right then that I was being serious. Then he smiled, but not with his usual smile that I was growing accustomed to. I picked up the faintest clue that he would accept my proposal. There was a flash of adoration in his eyes that I hadn’t noticed before. “And my answer is yes,” He replied. I realized then that he must have developed feelings for me as well. How had neither of us noticed? Or maybe Maxim had but had been waiting for me to initiate a romantic relationship. After all he seemed very respectful of the boundaries I had made him aware of. I could not contain the joy that I felt in that moment. I lost control and kissed him, unable to hold back the passion that I had been repressing for days. He kissed me back with that same passion. I felt as though the word around us was melting away. Nothing existed, nothing mattered except for us. But did I really deserve this? 

One thing still remained for us to do when we pulled away. Maxim realized it a split second before I did. “We’ll have to break the news to Mrs. Van Hopper” I said. I had a feeling Maxim’s employer would either be all too happy to hear that I was now engaged, or angry that I had pinched her companion. However I was leaning towards the former given how she had gone out of her way to force Maxim to talk to me the day we met. Maxim gave a slight nod. “I’ll do the talking, don’t worry” he said, that collected air returning once more.

Alerting Mrs. Van Hopper of our engagement turned out to be a simpler affair than I originally anticipated. Then again, Maxim had decided to take charge of the conversation. “What are you doing here, shouldn’t you-” Mrs. Van Hopper started before noticing my presence. “Oh, Miss Evans, what a pleasant surprise.” I gave her a polite smile in greeting. Maxim cleared his throat. “We’ve come to let you know I will not be returning to New York with you” He said to the American as I stood by his side. There was a lull in the conversation, which meant it was my cue to say something. It was time to bring about my rehearsed confidence. “We’re getting married,” I added as a means of clarification.

“Well, it’s about time,” Mrs. Van Hopper stated bluntly before turning to Maxim. “What in heaven’s name took you so long, boy?” She asked, letting out a hearty laugh. Before either of us got the chance to respond Mrs. Van Hopper decided she’d keep talking. “Well, I give you both my congratulations, although I must say that you have quite big shoes to fill, Maxim” She said, feigning politeness. I knew she was trying to let both of us know that she thought Maxim incapable of taking Richard’s place as master of Manderley and I would not tolerate that. Besides, I had hoped this conversation would be brief as it was. “Thank you, but we best be going,” I said, the smallest hint of annoyance at the American’s snide remark showing in my voice. And go we did. First to the courthouse to sign our marriage documents, then a seven week long honeymoon in Italy, and finally the place I had secretly dreaded returning to for all this time, Manderley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Off to Manderley they go. Wow it took me forever to update this. Unfortunately school has started up again and it's taken a bigger toll on my mental health than I thought it would so I had to take a break from writing this. However I felt super motivated toady so here is another chapter for you. Feel free to leave your thoughts in a comment below.


	4. Die Neue Mrs de Winter

The day of our arrival had come. I knew I should not be as nervous as I was, I was returning home, if I could still call it that, after all. If anything, Maxim should be the one to feel nervous, he was the one entering into a world he was not used to, taking on a role that he had not been raised to play. “We’ve nearly arrived, are you nervous?” I asked my new husband as I pulled the car into the long and winding driveway. “On the contrary, I’m rather excited if I do say so myself,” He replied. I was once again reminded of how much I envied his confidence, but I didn’t mind. He had enough for the both of us. I gave a soft smile as we pulled into the front gate.

“JENNY, DON’T PUT THAT IN THE SINK!” The voice that rang from inside the house was all too familiar to me. Mrs. Danvers, the head of staff, must be scolding one of the maids. She had telephoned me yesterday, apologizing profusely for bothering me on my honeymoon but letting me know that she had finally filled one of the vacant positions with a young girl of 18 years named Jenny, whose family was one of the tenants on the estate. “Who was that?” Maxim asked me, laughing as he did so. I let out a giggle as well. “That, darling, would be Mrs. Danvers, our housekeeper. She runs quite a tight ship and may seem a little stiff at first. I dare say she’ll warm up to you in time though,” I explained to him. 

I parked the car at the front steps. Frith, the second in staff, a kindly older man who had been working at Manderley since before I was born, opened the car door for me. “Welcome back, Madam, Sir,” He greeted as Maxim and I stepped out of the car. I thanked him and the two of us were escorted into the house. To my annoyance the entire staff was lined up at the grand staircase to greet us. I never did care for fanfare. I did not show this annoyance on my face though, the last thing I wanted was for my staff to notice I did not want this type of reception. Nor did I want to appear ungrateful. “I see the whole staff is here” I observed, speaking to no one in particular. 

“Mrs. Danvers’ orders, Madam,” Frith replied, having heard my musing. I supposed I should at the very least address everyone. I could not get out of it and it was the right thing to do. I stepped forward. “Thank you all for this warm welcome. It’s wonderful to have finally returned home” I said, giving a formal smile before introducing Maxim to the staff. Some looked at him with curiosity, others with shock as they had no doubt heard he had previously been a paid companion. I supposed they were surprised at his natural air, for if they had not known of his former profession they could have mistook him for someone of higher status. I took Maxim’s hand in mine. “This is my husband, Maxim de Winter. I trust that you will all do your best to welcome him into our beloved Manderley”. 

Then Mrs. Danvers approached us in her ever commanding manner. I would be intimidated by her if not for the fact that she had been my personal maid since I was but 11 years old and had practically raised me after my mother died when I was 13. She had been promoted to head housekeeper after the old one decided to retire shortly after I came of age. Mrs. Danvers knew things about me that I had never told another living soul, for she was like a mother to me and I trusted her with my life. She was one of the few to have that honor. “Darling, this is Mrs. Danvers” I said to Maxim. “Welcome home, Madame. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. de Winter,” She greeted Maxim in the slightly cold but polite tone she often used when she first met someone, giving him a stiff handshake. Mrs. Danvers sent the rest of the staff on their way. I noticed she was slightly less cold when introducing herself to Maxim than she had been 3 years ago when I had introduced her to Richard. As far as I was concerned that was a good sign.

“Thank you, Danny” I said in a less formal tone, using the affectionate name I had called her since childhood now that it was just the three of us. “Oh, and Danny, try not to give Jenny too hard of a time. You’ve only just hired her yesterday and she’s still learning the order of things,” I said half jokingly half seriously, letting her know that I had heard her yelling from outside. “As you wish” She replied, softening her tone just a bit. The next thing I know she is offered Maxim a tour, which he accepted, and I had been called to the morning room to answer a telephone call. Probably some acquaintance or other wanting to congratulate me on my recent marriage or ask Maxim and I to pay them a visit. 

I was now walking through the familiar darkened corridors. It truly was a little unsettling coming back here. Back to the place that had become my prison instead of the home I longed for it to be once more. I could feel the ghosts of my past roaming around, ready to haunt me now that I was alone. However I would have to face them. I would have to try to confront my past. I would have to remind myself that I was not in fact alone, no matter how much of the opposite I felt. Manderley could be reclaimed as my home once more. It had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make up for taking ten years to update this, I'm giving you guys two chapters today. This one is pretty short but I hope you like it. I'd like to give my friend E another shoutout for coming up with "JENNY DON'T PUT THAT IN THE SINK!!!!!" Your meme shall forever live on in Rebecca Das Musical history.

**Author's Note:**

> This took nearly 3 hours to write but I think it turned out pretty well. I never actually thought of Mrs. van Hopper playing matchmaker for Ich and Maxim until I ended up testing out the idea for this fic in the form of a roleplay when one of my friends decided to spontaneously work the idea in. That same friend also came up with Ich's maid name, Evans, as well as the name Richard for our genderbent Rebecca. Thanks for the inspiration, E. Please feel free to comment your thoughts down below and if you enjoyed this fic leave some kudos. That's all for now, see you in the next chapter.


End file.
